Valve-gear.



PATENTED MAR. 7. 1905.

W. P. DIDEN.

VALVE GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.1 3,1904.

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PATENTED MAR. 7, 1905.

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VALVE GEAR.

APPLICATION Elfin OUT. 13.1904.

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PATENTED MAR. 7, 1905.

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W. F. DIDEN.

VALVE GEAR.

APPLIOATIOEI FILED OOT. 13,1904.

WITNESSES.

Patented March '7, 1905.

PATENT GFFICE...

IVILLIAM FREDERICK DIDEN, OF SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA.

VALVE-GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,389, dated March 7, 1905.

Application filed October 13, 1904. Serial No. 228,321.

To 0,71 wit/mt it vitrty concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM FREDERICK DIDEN,IBSI(lII1g at Santa Monica, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and Improved Valve-G ear-Reversing Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention seeks to provide a new and improved reversing gear mechanism for steamengines; and it primarily has for its object to provide a mechanism of the character stated of a simple,compact, and economical construction capable of being easily manipulated for quickly setting the valve and which will effectively operate for its intended purpose.

I In its generic nature my invention comprehends a cooperative arrangement of parts whereby a direct connection with the valve is obtained and the number of wearing parts is reduced to the minimum and in which the general construction is such that the shifter means can be placed in any desired position and adjusted in accordance with the stroke of the valve to be actuated thereby.

My invention in its more complete makeup embodies a peculiar form of the eccentric, a wedge-key device that cooperates therewith, has adjustment lengthwise of, and is connected to the shaft to rotate therewith; and in its still more subordinate nature my invention consists of certain details of construction and peculiar combination of parts, all of which will be hereinafter fully described, specifically pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the general arrangement of my improved valve-reversing gear mechanism. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same, taken practically on the line 2 2 of Fig. I looking in the direction of the arrow, showing the mechanism set for causing the shaft'to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the gear mechanism and the valve shifted to effect the reverse rotation of the shaft. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the same, taken substantially on the line 4: 4: of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a cross-section thereof, taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. a. Fig.

6 is a perspective view of one of the slotted shifting-keys. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the sectional eccentric, the parts being separated. Fig. 8 is a similar view of the eccentric-strap.

In carrying out my invention I provide the engine-shaft A at a suitable point with a long collar or sleeve WV, that is fixedly connected to the shaft A to move therewith. The sleeve IV has a pair of longitudinally extending grooves who disposed upon diametrically opposite sides, the purpose of which will presently appear.

E designates the eccentric, mounted on the sleeve V, and D is the eccentric yoke or strap that takes around the eccentric in the manner best shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 5, by reference to which it will be noticed the eccentric E consists of two like half-sections c a, each of which has a rectangular slot 0 c, and the slots 6 of the two sections when the parts are assembled aline to form a rectangular opening for the sleeved portion of the drive-shaft. The eccentric E, which in my construction is mounted for movement with respect to the shaft A, has the opposite edges w :c of the slots 6' e formed with grooves c to receive the outer opposite edges of the guide-blocks c 0 that are disposed parallel and at right angles to the axis of the shaft A and are rigidly clamped in the recesses or sockets 10 by the clamp-screws /0, as shown, said blocks serving as abutments on which the eccentric is shifted to reverse the valve by the shifting devices that are cor'ipm'ativcly connected with the eccentric and whose construction and combination with the eccentric and the drive-shaft form an essential feature of my invention.

F F designate a pair of oppositcly-disposcd slotted keys or cam members that seat in and have longitudinal movement in the grooves in the sleeve upon the shaft A. members or keys are of like construction, but are disposed in reverse relation with respect to the shaft-sleeve, as best shown in Fig. 5, by reference to which it will be seen that each of the members is wedge-shaped and each has a longitudinal slotff parallel with the shaft A, and the point ends of said members extend through the rectangular slot and the eccentric in opposite directions and between the oppo- The two cam sitely-projected ends of the guides clamped on the shaft-sleeve, the clamp-screws of which extend transversely through the slots f ,7" of the keys E, the several parts mentioned being so arranged and combined that by the movement of the keys in opposite directions (which movement is effected by shifting lever devices presently described) the eccentric is shifted with respect to the shaft to change the position of the slide-valve V.

At each end the two keys or cam members F F are joined by a collar f f slidable on the sleeve W, and each of said collars'f has an annular groove f arranged to receive the yoke ends g g of a pair of shifting-arms G Gr, that are projected at right angles from and are fixedly connected to a bar H, held to be reciprocated in suitable bearings 2 2 of the framing 20 to move in a plane parallel with the movement of the sleeve W, and the-said bar H in practice is shifted by suitable devices-for example, a lever 1, having a handle 2 fulcrumed at its lower end on a studpin and having a slot 71 to take in the studpin 7e on the bar H, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.; The eccentric yoke or strap is also made of sections securely clamped together and having an annular socket to receive the annular rim 6 of the eccentric, (see Fig. 5,) and the upper section of the eccentric has a radially-projected lug 6", to which is fixedly conskilled in the art to which my invention belongs.

In operation, assuming the shaft to be turning in the direction indicated by the arrow on Fig. 2, to reverse the rotation of movement of the shaft it is only necessary to throw the lever H over to the position indicated in Fig. 1, when by reason of the peculiar cooperative arrangement of the cams or slotted keys, theeccentric, and the direct connections between the eccentric yoke or strap and the valve the said eccentric will be shifted to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and the valve thereby shifted to the position also shown in Fig. 3 and the feed and exhaust of the steam reversed from what was the condition when the parts were in the position shown in Fig. 2.

By reason of the manner in which the keys or cams are joined with the shaft and the eccentric the transmission of the rotary movement of the shaft to the eccentric does not effect the longitudinal shifting of the keys or cams,since the said keys or cams at all times maintain the same radial relation to the shaft. To reduce friction, the clamp-screws that pass through the slots of the wedge-keys may have f riction-rollers of any improved type. (Not shown.)

I am aware that reversing mechanisms of the character generally hereinbefore referred to have been provided in which cam devices shiftable through the eccentric for changing the position of the eccentric with respect to the valve and the shaft; but, so far as I know, my invention differentiates from what has been heretofore provided in this line in the peculiar manner in which the cam or wedge keys are formed, their connection with the eccentric, the slots to receive the cross-screws that join the guides that straddle and are fixedly secured to the shaft-sleeve, and the detailed combination of the several parts, as set out in the following claims.

I claim 1. A reversing mechanism for engines, which comprises in combination with the shaft to be rotated and the steam-controlling slidevalve; an eccentric mounted on the shaft and having a slot for the passage of the shaft therethrough, said slot having its side walls grooved, a pair of oppositely-disposed and parallel guides fixedly connected to the shaft, disposed in the slot of the ecentric and in said side-wall grooves of the slot and upon which the said eccentric is slidably supported, the eccentric-yoke, connections that join the sliding valve, and a pair of oppositely-projected wedge-keys, disposed upon diametrically opposite sides of and having longitudinal movement on the shaft, said keys engaging opposite ends of the eccentric slot and means for reciprocally moving the said keys, as set forth.

2. The combination with the sleeve mounted on the drive-shaft to turn therewith, said sleeve having a pair of diametrically oppositely disposed longitudinal grooves, a pair of guides disposed at right angles to straddle the sleeve and rotatable therewith, an eccentric having an elongated slot, mounted on the sleeve and having the edges of its slot slidable on the aforesaid guides, cam devices reciprocable on the shaft-sleeve for shifting the eccentric, means for actuating the cam devices and connections that join the eccentric with the slide-valve, as set forth. I

3. The combination with the shaft, the two guides that straddle and are clamped to the shaft, the eccentric that is mounted on the guides and has movement therein in a direction at right angles to the shaft, the slide-valve and connections that join said valve and the eccentric; of a pair of oppositely-disposed wedge-shaped keys disposed in alternate relation with their small ends projected through and in engagement with the eccentric, said keys being mounted on and having reciprocable movement in the direction of length of the shaft, and lever devices for shifting the said keys in opposite directions, said eccentric IIO having a slot, the side Walls of which being provided with grooves to receive the straddling-guides, as set forth.

4:. The combination with the movable eccentric, the shaft, the guides that straddle and are fixedly connected to the shaft, and the clamp-screws that join the guides; of the wedge-shaped cam-keys disposed on diametrically opposite sides of the shaft, projected radially therefrom and rotatable therewith, said keys having reciprocable movement on the shaft and engaging the eccentric, and each having a longitudinal slot to receive the clampscrews that connect the eccentric-guides, and connections between the eccentric and the slide-valve, as set forth. a

A reversing-gear for engines, comprising a sleeve keyed on the drive-shaft and having a pair of oppositely-disposed longitudinal grooves, the slide-valve, a pair of parallel guides that straddle the sleeve, the crossscrews that clamp the two guides; of the two part eccentric having a central rectangular slot, and having the sides of its slot slidably engaging the two guides, a pair of wedgeshaped keys disposed in alternate relation and having longitudinal movement in the grooves of the sleeve and having their small ends held to engage the ends of the slot'in the eccentric, each of said keys having a longitudinal slot to take in the cross-screws that clamp the two guides on the sleeve; connections between the eccentric and the sliding valve, the aforesaid sleeve havinga clutch-collar at each end, the yoke-levers that engage said collars, the lever H and the shifting lever I, all being arranged substantially as shown and described.

WILLIAM FEEDER I CK DIDEN.

Witnesses:

V. L. GEAon, FOSTOR ELLIOT. 

